The European Commission presented today a Communication on Strategic goals and recommendations for the European Union’s maritime transport policy 2009-2018. The purpose of the ten year strategy plan is to promote safe, secure, clean and efficient shipping. The strategic review exercise carried out by the Commission is set in the context of the EU Maritime Integrated Policy (the Blue book) and is based on contributions from Member States and independent experts and on a comprehensive analytical study.

Although mainly focused on shipping, the strategy does recommend the full implementation of the Commission’s ports policy communication which was issued in 2007. In particular, it highlights the need to ensure the right conditions for attracting investment flows to the port sector, prioritising modernisation and expansion of port and hinterland connection infrastructure projects in those areas that are more likely to suffer from congestion problems. In addition, it recommends that fast-track procedures should be generalised to significantly cut the overall lead time of environmental assessment for port expansion projects. The Commission aims to achieve this goal through the guidelines on the application of Community environmental legislation to port development which were already announced in 2007 and which are expected to be issued in the course of this year.

In the press conference this morning, the Commission’s Vice-President Antonio Tajani (photo) explained that the financial crisis and its impact on the maritime transport sector demanded decisive action and that the Commission needed to look ahead and provide answers to the many challenges faced today, such as EU seamanship capacities, combating piracy and reducing the environmental impact of shipping. From his side, Commissioner Joe Borg, responsible for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries welcomed the maritime transport strategy as a cornerstone of the Action Plan of the Integrated Maritime Policy, aimed at strengthening competitiveness, sustainable growth and employment in the European maritime industries as a whole.

The full text of the Policy Strategy will be published at the DG TREN website in the coming days. Other key elements of the strategy plan are the long-term competitiveness of European shipping and related maritime industries in world markets, and the adaptation of the entire seaborne transport system to the challenges of the 21st century. The strategic options proposed in the plan were said to reflect the core principles of sustainable development, economic growth and open markets in fair competition and high environmental and social standards.

In the context of its Maritime Strategy paper, the European Commission also adopted today an action plan aimed at creating a maritime transport space without barriers in Europe. This plan includes several legislative measures, including a proposal aimed at simplifying administrative formalities based on Community regulations and recommendations to Member States for reducing the administrative burdens imposed on shipping companies.

In the action plan, the Commission calls on the Member States to put in place measures to review and simplify practices of the various port inspection bodies that monitor compliance with customs, tax and health regulations and the conformance of plant and animal products, and improve coordination. The action plan also includes measures ongoing under the Modernised Customs code, such as simplifying the formalities for Community shipping routes. Other measures will be proposed at a later stage, along with the Member States' recommendations, mainly in the aim of coordinating, where local conditions allow, inspections conducted by the various administrative services in the ports or to award pilot exemption certificates ('PECs' ) to experienced captains.

As regards legislative measures, the commission has presented a Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on reporting formalities for ships arriving in and departing from Community ports. Measures simplifying customs procedures will be adopted at the beginning of 2009 and guidelines aimed at accelerating plant and animal checks will be published in 2009. Port administrations may still carry out spot checks.

In the presentation of the action plan, European Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani emphasized that by making maritime transport more attractive and creating new openings for it, the proposed measures would lead to a more balanced use of transport modes, based on their own merits rather than on historically different administrative formalities; this would be beneficial for the environment and for the economy. He also announced that the Commission considers that the necessary conditions for setting up a barrier-free maritime transport space are now in place and that relevant measures may be introduced in a staggered fashion between 2010 and 2013.

The action plan and related legislative proposals will be available here in the coming days.